March 2012 | The 3 R's: Reading, 'Riting, and Randomness

March 31, 2012 • randomness •

Doing my own Mini-Challenge, and other things I did today

I’ve used BlogPress before to draft posts, but this will be my very first time doing it live! If I’m going to challenge other Bloggiesta-ers, I should join in too, right?
I actually haven’t spent much time on Bloggiesta today, in all honesty. I did one mini-challenge this morning and worked a little on my Goodreads updates, but most of today was reserved for belated-birthday celebrating with my sister.
First she took me to breakfast at the Firehouse Cafe. I don’t know if it really was a firehouse once, but it’s definitely got a theme.

Then we did a little shopping, and then she took me to the movies to see this:

I thought it turned out quite well–if I have some time during the next few days, I’ll say more than that.
Now Tall Paul and I are off to forage for dinner, and maybe kick back with some TV. Good thing there’s more Bloggiesta tomorrow!
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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March 30, 2012 randomness

Bloggiesta Kick-off! The Best-Laid Plans…

Good morning, Bloggiesta-ers! Who’s ready for some spring cleaning of the bloggy kind? Thanks so much to Danielle and Suey for bringing Bloggiesta back! I’ve got a few posts in draft that I want to get finished up and scheduled for next week…and since I am NOT doing NaBloPoMo for April, I only need a few posts for next week. But my primary task for Bloggiesta weekend falls into the general category of “catching up […]

March 29, 2012 randomness

Bloggiesta Mini-Challenge: Mobilize!

If you have a smartphone, or a tablet, or both, there’s no need to be chained to your computer for blogging any more. Have you explored some of the ways you can read and write while you’re out and about? For my Bloggiesta Mini-Challenge, I thought we’d look at a few mobile apps that can benefit your blogging. (I was going to discuss reading apps here too, but the post was getting so long that […]

March 28, 2012 randomness

Question Time–Now With Answers! (Part One)

I’m offering a bonus entry in my Blogiversary Giveaway to anyone who asks me a question (and you can still enter until this Saturday, if you haven’t already!). Since several people took me up on that, I thought I’d answer some of the questions today. Others will be addressed next week, so stay tuned. Several of the questions I’ve received specifically addressed blogging, so I’m going to field all of those in their own post. […]

March 27, 2012 reading

Book Talk: Little Princes, by Conor Grennan

This is my final review from the Indie Lit Awards Biography/Memoir short list. (Also: Have you entered my Blogiversary Giveaway?) Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal Conor Grennan (Facebook) (Twitter) William Morrow Paperbacks (2011), Reprint, Paperback (ISBN Nonfiction (memoir), 320 pages (ISBN 0061930067 / 9780061930065) Source: publisher Reason for reading: Indie Lit Awards Short List (Biography/Memoir) WINNER, Memorable Memoirs Reading Challenge Opening lines (from the Prologue): “It was well after nightfall when I […]

March 26, 2012 reading

Book Talk: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua

This week, I’m posting the final two reviews of the Indie Lit Awards Biography/Memoir short list contenders. (Also: Have you entered my Blogiversary Giveaway?) Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother Amy Chua (Facebook) (Twitter) read by the author Penguin (Non-Classics) (2011), Reprint, paperback (ISBN 0143120581 / 9780143120582) Nonfiction (memoir/parenting), 256 pages Source: purchased audiobook (Audible ASIN B004INSU48) Reason for reading: Indie Lit Awards Short List (Biography/Memoir) RUNNER-UP, Audiobook Challenge 2012, Memorable Memoirs Reading Challenge Opening lines: “This […]

March 25, 2012 randomness, reading

Sunday Salon: Buzz and Bulletins

There are so many things to talk about in the Salon today! Let’s hit the books first: The Indie Lit Awards winners were announced last Monday, and I began posting my reviews of the books that were considered in the Biography/Memoir category that same day. So far, I’ve discussed: I Pray Hardest When Being Shot At, by Kyle Garret Tolstoy and the Purple Chair, by Nina Sankovitch Bossypants, by Tina Fey (previously reviewed, but re-posted […]

March 24, 2012 randomness

Song Lyric Saturday: “History of Everything (The Big Bang Theory theme)”

Welcome to Song Lyric Saturday, a new feature for my NaBloPoMo month of March–and it may make occasional appearances even after that’s over, but we’ll see how it goes. I’m not a big fan of short stories in traditional form, but when they’re set to great melodies and last for under four minutes, sometimes they really work for me. I’m developing a new routine during my drive home on Friday afternoons: listening to the latest edition […]

March 23, 2012 randomness

Friday Foto: Spring has Sprung!

I can never decide whether the seasons in Southern California don’t exist at all, or are just out of whack with both natural and human calendars. Last weekend, just a few days before the vernal equinox and after a warmer, drier winter than normal, we had chilly rain and hail. Now we’re looking at high temperatures in the mid-60s/low 70s into next week, with maybe some rain on Sunday. But back in February, it seemed […]

March 22, 2012 reading

(BlogHer) Book (Club) Talk: The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green

The Fault in Our StarsJohn Green (Twitter) (Facebook)Dutton Juvenile (2012), Hardcover (ISBN 9781101569184 / 1101569182)Fiction (YA), 336 pagesSource: Purchased e-book (iBooks edition)Reason for reading: BlogHer Book Club Disclosure: I was compensated for this review and participation in discussion about this book at BlogHer.com; I read it as an e-book I had purchased prior to joining the book club. Opening lines: “Late in the winter of my seventeenth year, my mother decided I was depressed, presumably […]

March 21, 2012 reading

Book Talk (rerun): Bossypants, by Tina Fey

This review was originally posted in July 2011. I’m re-running it as part of my feature on the 2011 Indie Lit Awards Short List (Biography/Memoir) this week. (Have you entered my Blogiversary Giveaway?) Bossypants Tina Fey read by the author Reagan Arthur Books (2011), Hardcover (ISBN 9780316056861 / 0316056863) (Audio edition 1609419693 / 9781609419691) Memoir/essays, 288 pages Source: Purchased audiobook Reason for reading: Personal Book description, from the publisher’s website: “Before Liz Lemon, before ‘Weekend Update,’ before ‘Sarah Palin,’ […]

March 20, 2012 reading

Book Talk: Tolstoy and the Purple Chair, by Nina Sankovitch

This week and next, I’ll be posting my reviews of the Indie Lit Awards Biography/Memoir short list, working my way up to the top two. (Also: Have you entered my Blogiversary Giveaway?) Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading Nina Sankovitch (Facebook) (Twitter) Harper Perennial (2012), Paperback (ISBN 0061999857 / 9780061999857) Nonfiction (memoir/books), 256 pages Source: Purchased e-book (Kindle) (ASIN B004MMEIWI) Reason for reading: Indie Lit Awards Short List (Biography/Memoir), E-Book Reading Challenge […]

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